In Other News

The U.S. canceled a nato deployment of troops to Poland yesterday. An armored brigade of 4,000 personnel will no longer rotate into the nation, and advanced personnel in the nation will withdraw. This comes on the heels of the U.S. announcing the withdrawal of 5,000 of its 35,000 troops in Germany. President Trump believes withholding U.S. military resources from European nato allies functions as punishment and pressure against Europe, but Bible prophecy warns that this notion is dead wrong.

On Wednesday, Slovenia handed over to Croatia the remains of 500 fascist Croatian fighters killed in a forced march at the end of World War ii. Croatia’s minister of veterans’ affairs, Tomo Medved, referred to the fascist fighters as “victims.” This reburial is one sign that Croatia might not be fully ashamed of its dark World War ii past, in which it worked closely with Nazi Germany, ran extermination camps, and conducted forced conversions, mass arrests, massacres, death marches and mass executions.

Lebanon confirmed Wednesday it sent a letter to the United Nations late last month accusing Iran of violating diplomatic protocol, meddling in Lebanon’s internal affairs, and dragging it into a war against Israel. Following the government’s attempt to forcibly disarm Hezbollah and even public overtures for a peace treaty with Israel, this unprecedented step is the clearest sign yet that the Lebanese government, increasingly free from domination by Iran-sponsored Hezbollah, wants a clear break from the Iranians. The Bible reveals who its next major ally will be.

A man who operated a covert Chinese intelligence outpost from an office building in Manhattan’s Chinatown was convicted Wednesday of operating as a foreign agent. Lu Jianwang was also found guilty of obstructing evidence after he deleted text messages that prosecutors said contained directives from his Chinese Communist Party regime handlers in Beijing to suppress, threaten and pressure pro-democracy Chinese activists in America. U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said, “A police station operating in New York City at the direction of the Chinese government has been exposed, its sinister purpose disrupted, and its founder held accountable for blatantly disregarding the law and our country’s sovereignty.” This case is the latest evidence showing that U.S. leaders desperately need to “Wake Up to the Threat From China.”

Germany traded $165 billion with Eastern Europe and Central Asia in the first quarter of this year, 16 percent more than the $142 billion it traded with the United States and China combined over the same period, Handelsblatt reported yesterday. Germany is building up its trade relations with Eastern Europe, reducing its reliance on the U.S. and China while empowering its ambitions to build a third global superpower.

Austria scrambled fighter jets on May 10 and 11 to confirm that the U.S. military aircraft approaching and entering its airspace matched the type its government had approved. The details of the verification are unclear, and Austria will address the issue through diplomatic channels, Defense News reported. Austria has closed its airspace to any U.S. aircraft involved in the Iran war; ensuring compliance was likely the reason for the interceptions. This highlights growing distrust and disagreement between America and its European “allies,” which was prophesied in the Bible.

Israel’s Government Press Office announced yesterday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “secretly visited the United Arab Emirates, where he met with U.A.E. President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed.” The report claimed the “visit has led to a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the U.A.E.” This follows reporting that Israel lent the U.A.E. some of its most sensitive defense technology during the war. Israel is increasingly relying on the U.A.E. for security, but Bible prophecy warns that trusting other nations over the God of Israel is a fatal trap.

Kevin Warsh was sworn in yesterday as the 17th chair of the Federal Reserve. The Senate confirmed the 56-year-old former Fed official, chosen by President Donald Trump, in a mostly party-line vote. Warsh takes charge amid the Iran war, high gas prices and rising inflation. President Trump has pushed hard for the Fed to lower interest rates, largely to increase borrowing, investment, hiring and consumption. To make this possible, Warsh plans to sell some of the bonds the Fed owns. This could help lower mortgage rates and other long-term rates and open the door to cutting the main short-term interest rate. However, as long as the U.S. government keeps running trillion-dollar deficits, it will be nearly impossible to keep both interest rates and inflation low at the same time.

Inflation surged to its highest level in nearly three years in April, up 0.6 percent from March and 3.8 percent year-over-year, according to government data. The sharp rise was driven largely by gasoline prices, which jumped 5.4 percent in a single month and 28.4 percent over last year, with the national average now $4.50 per gallon. The ongoing war with Iran has disrupted key oil shipping routes, pushing energy costs higher. This pressure is also raising prices for food, rent and other everyday essentials, adding strain to governments, businesses and household budgets nationwide. Stock markets reacted negatively, with the Dow dropping about 0.5 percent as investors worry that high inflation may delay interest rate cuts.

City Journal reported yesterday that California’s program to grant the state’s 90,000 prisoners smart devices has enabled the recipients to consume pornography and even groom minors. One man imprisoned for sex crimes against a 12-year-old girl continued to contact her through the device. One serial killer on death row told the New York Post the restrictions are easy to bypass. As Trumpet managing editor Joel Hilliker wrote yesterday regarding Congress’s continuing sex scandals, the more one looks at what the government is doing behind closed doors, the more evils come into view.

• Saudi Arabia has “launched numerous, unpublicized attacks against Iran that are only now being revealed” in retaliation against Iranian attacks, Reuters reported yesterday. This follows similar reports that the United Arab Emirates had done the same.
• Kuwait yesterday accused Iran of attacking a Kuwaiti island. Kuwait claims Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attempted to land at Bubiyan Island on May 1 and exchanged fire with Kuwaiti soldiers. Kuwait claims it arrested four irgc members.
• Pentagon’s Iran costs grow: United States Department of War Comptroller Jay Hurst told Congress yesterday the Iran war’s expenditure is now at about $29 billion, up from $25 billion when Secretary of War Pete Hegseth testified two weeks ago.
• Iran has restored operational capacity for 30 of its 33 missile sites bordering the Strait of Hormuz, the New York Times reported yesterday. The Times’s sources claimed Iran has also regained access to 90 percent of its underground missile storage and launch structures nationwide.

Rabbi Dov Lando, spiritual leader of Israel’s ultra-Orthodox Degel Hatorah party, said yesterday that “steps must be taken to dissolve the Knesset as soon as possible” because Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been unable to pass a law exempting ultra-Orthodox Israelis from conscription. Degel Hatorah left Netanyahu’s six-party coalition in July, splitting the legislature into 60 seats for the government and 60 seats for the opposition. It can technically dissolve the government by gaining a single vote from the other side and is reportedly planning to push for new elections. While Israel struggles with life-and-death threats from Hamas and Iran, it is also struggling with internal issues that threaten to take down Netanyahu, Israel’s last strong leader.

France concluded its first summit of African leaders in Kenya yesterday. France normally focuses on about half a dozen African nations where it had previous influence, but Kenya is not one of them, nor is it close to the Mediterranean Sea and Europe. Choosing Kenya to host this event could signal that, following recent setbacks in its former colonies, France is looking to expand its African alliances. Kenya is arguably emerging as a focal point for Europe’s push for African alliances. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul visited Kenya and Ethiopia during his first visit to Africa in January, saying Kenya is Germany’s “closest partner in the region and a true pillar of stability.” The Bible prophesies Europe will focus more and more on building relations with Africa.

President Donald Trump arrived in China today for a two-day state visit with Secretary General Xi Jinping and other Chinese officials. Accompanying him are major U.S. executives, including Apple ceo Tim Cook, BlackRock ceo Larry Fink and SpaceX and Tesla ceo Elon Musk. The two sides will aim to ease trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies and stabilize their relations after a period of intense tariffs. The trip was originally planned for early April but was delayed due to the Iran war, which will likely complicate the negotiations, given China’s close ties to Iran and significant military support during the war. “It is remarkable that President Trump is prepared to go to China under these circumstances,” said Asia Group Chairman Kurt Campbell. “But may I also say that it’s also deeply unusual that China is prepared to host him.” The visit may yield some beneficial short-term trade deals for America, but the circumstances surrounding it underscore a critical problem: U.S. leaders appear unwilling to “Wake Up to the Threat From China.”

• The United Arab Emirates launched direct strikes against Iran during last month’s war, the Wall Street Journal reported yesterday. The U.A.E. hasn’t publicly acknowledged the strikes. But Iran hit the U.A.E. hard in the conflict, and the U.A.E. said it reserved the right to respond to hostile acts. This follows previous rumors Qatar did the same thing.
• The ceasefire with Iran “is on massive life support where the doctor walks in and says, ‘Sir, your loved one has approximately a 1 percent chance of living,’” President Donald Trump stated yesterday.

European Union foreign ministers agreed to sanction Israeli settlers on Monday. The bloc has tried to do so in the past due to concerns over attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank but had been blocked by Hungary. Now Hungary has a new leader, and the bloc unanimously agreed to the sanctions. Europe often positions itself as Israel’s friend, but stories like these, connected with Bible prophecy, show its real intentions.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and his government misused at least $10 billion from European Union covid funds to cover pensions and other social programs, El Mundo and other Spanish newspapers reported last week. Notably, the largest share of those funds came from Germany, which means this scandal could increase German pressure against Sánchez and possibly help bring in a more militant Spanish leader who will better fit in with the rising German-led European empire.

Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said Wednesday that nations in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization must reach their defense spending goals of 5 percent of gdp by 2030 instead of 2035. He said European militarization is “today’s priority” and that even 2031 “may be too late.” Poland plans to spend 4.8 percent of its gdp on defense this year. Bible prophecy says Europe will continue to militarize into an unprecedented superpower.

Japanese refiner Idemitsu Kosan bought crude oil from Russia, the company told Russian state media on Friday. This is the second Japanese company to buy oil from Russia since America’s war with Iran began. A company spokesperson said the purchase was made at the behest of the Japanese government. The Bible prophesies that Japan will soon become a major military ally of Russia.

North Korea’s first nuclear-armed warship is almost ready for service, state media announced on Thursday. The Choe Hyon-class destroyer reportedly completed successful tests of its missile and weapons systems recently, and the rogue nation claims to be fitting out its first nuclear missile submarine. Only six or seven other nations have naval nuclear launch capabilities, and three of them are China, India and Russia. The Bible warns that Asia’s formidable militaries will soon unite into the strongest force in human history, and North Korea’s advancements will likely contribute to its mass-destructive firepower.

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front essentially broke its peace agreement with the Ethiopian government on May 5 by reinstating a government it had in place before the eruption of the 2020 Tigray War, perhaps the deadliest of the 21st century so far. That war concluded with an agreement that a Tigray government would no longer rule the region, so its reinstatement exacerbates an already tense situation, and many fear it could plunge the region back into war. The Bible prophesies that Ethiopian politics are about to experience a dramatic upheaval.

• Iran seized a Chinese-operated vessel, the Ocean Koi, Friday. China is the largest market for Iranian oil and a key military partner. Iran poking at China this way suggests that it is pushing for more support against the U.S.
• Israel has been operating a military base in Iraq to strike Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported May 9. Located in Iraq’s barren western desert, Israel apparently set up the base without the Iraqi government’s knowledge. Iraq and Israel do not have diplomatic relations.
• Iran’s offer “totally unacceptable”: United States President Donald Trump told Axios yesterday that the most recent Iranian counteroffer to end the war is “inappropriate” and more “tapping along.”

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares told the Politico Brussels Playbook that the EU must get its own military. “This is the moment of the sovereignty and independence of Europe. The Americans are inviting us to that,” he said, referring to U.S. pressure on Europe during the Iran war. “We have to be free of dependence. Free of dependence means to be free of coercion, whether it comes to tariffs or the use of military threat. And free of the consequences of someone else’s decisions.” Albares has made similar calls before, but his calls are becoming more urgent after Spain denied U.S. military planes access to its air bases for the war and the U.S. threatened to exclude Spain from nato. We are witnessing the death of nato and the emergence of a European superpower.

Péter Magyar was sworn in as Hungary’s new prime minister on Saturday, ending 16 years of rule by his predecessor, Viktor Orbán. Claiming extensive corruption, he has demanded the resignations of Orbán’s appointees, including President Tamás Sulyok. Magyar has been in office for only a few days and is already showing a strongman streak. He could be one of 10 strongmen the Trumpet expects to dominate Europe.

German drone and AI start-up Helsing is in advanced stages to raise $1.2 billion in its latest funding round, which would value the company at $18 billion, the Financial Times reported Saturday. This would significantly increase the $14 billion valuation ascribed to it less than a year ago. Even more, according to the Financial Times, this fundraising round was “oversubscribed multiple times.” This shows that Germany’s defense start-up scene is attracting investor attention, which will contribute to Germany’s efforts to arm for war.

For the first time, a candidate for the Alternative für Deutschland has won a mayoral election in the east German state of Brandenburg. René Stadtkewitz took 58.4 percent of the vote in Zehdenick, a town of roughly 13,000 people just north of Berlin, on Sunday, far above the runner-up’s 28.6 percent. This win is just another sign of the far-right AfD’s popularity, a symptom of the nation’s desire for strong leadership—which it will soon have.